Alexander t



N oooooo r A. T. BROWN.

TYPE WRITER INKING RIBBON. No. 528,142. Patented 001;. 30, 1894.

1/ so i V noe'wboz Q (L. MM $11M. I k/{Q1 ble and others with indelibleink, and in these NlTE STATES ALEXANDER T. BROWN, OF SYRACUSE, ASSIGNORTO THE UNION TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.

TYPE-WRITER lNKlNG RIBBO N.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 528,142, dated October30, 1894. Application filed July 7, 1894. $erial No. 516,798- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER T. BROWN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in thecounty of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new andusefullmprovements in Type-WriterInb ing-Ribbons, of which the followingis a specification.

In the use of type writing machines it is quite common for operators tohave in position upon the spools two different inking-ribbons, that is,one ribbon charged with one kind or color of ink, and the other withanother, so that either ribbon may be readily brought into use accordingto the desire of the operator or the necessity of the work to be done.

For some kinds of writing a record or noncopying ribbon is employed,while for other kinds a copyingor transfer ribbon is used. Again, someribbons are provided with delivarious kinds or descriptions of ribbonsvarious colors are used, such as black, blue, purple, green, 850.

Heretofore it has been the custom to pin, sew, or otherwise fastentogether the inner ends of the two different kinds or colors of ribbonsand attach their opposite,outer ends one to each spool. To this modeorplan of providing for the useof two different ribbons the seriousobjection exists that the operator during the use of the machine isextremely liable to go from one kind or color of ribbon to the other andnot discover the fact until a number of impressions have been obtainedfrom the wrong ribbon, and frequently when this happens the entire sheetor sheets must be destroyed, thereby incurring a loss of time in there-writing.

An operator absorbed in her writing is so apt to fail to notice that theworking ribbon needs reversing, that the passage to the wrong ornon-working ribbon is of frequent occurrence and a source of greatannoyance.

My object is to overcome this difficulty or objection, and in carryingout my invention, I interpose between the two different kinds or colorsof ribbon a blank or uninked ribbon or portion, which if struck by thetypes will fail to yield impressions upon the paper; all

as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointedoutin the appended In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a planfragmentary view of a duplex inking ribbon embodying my invention; andFig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved inking ribbon upon twospools and running over the usual inking ribbon supports of a typewriter.

The same part will be found designated by the same numeral of referencein both views.

1 designates the duplex inking ribbon, preferably made of a continuouspiece.

At the middle of the length of the ribbon is a white, or blank, oruninked portion 2, at one side of which is a portion, 3, charged orimpregnated with one kind or color of ink, and on the other side aportion, 4, charged with ink of another kind or color. The inkedportions 3 and 4 extend from the blank portion 2, preferably to the freeends of the fabric.- The free end of the portion 3 is connected to thespool 5, and the free end of the portion 4 is connected to the spool 6.The spool 5 is adapted to rotate on a shaft 7 in the type writer, andthe spool 6 on a shaft 8 therein. The section 3 bears for example black,record ink or color, while the section 4 bears blue copying ink orcoloring matter. The section 3 is in effect one inking ribbon, and thesection 4 another, and these sections are connected together butseparated from each other by the uninked middle section 2.

I prefer to make the three sections integral or of a singlepiece, asshown, but they may be made separate and united if desired, the

'mainfeature of my invention consisting in placing between the tworibbons or differently inked portions an uninked section or portion.

It is not essential that the inked sections 3 and 4' be of equal length,though I prefer to have them so.

The uninked portion 2 may be severa inches in length, more orless,according to the desire of the maker and the character or constructionof the type Writer upon which the ribbon is to be used.

In a machine in which the ribbon is fed crosswise during the writing, ashorterlength of uninked section will be required than in a machine inwhich the ribbon moves only longitudinally during type impressions.

In the use of the improved ribbon it will be seen that when the blank oruninked section is brought in coincidence with the printing point, noimpression will be made upon the paper and hence that the liability ofrun ning unawares from one ribbon to another is reduced to the minimum,for by the interposition of the blank section sufficient time isafforded the operator to discover the necessity for reversing before thewrong or undesired ribbon is operated upon. The length of this blanksection may be such as to cover the printing point for several lines,more or less, and if the operation of the keys be continued at this timeno impression will be yielded of course, and the ,operator is thusenabled to readily discover the fact that the working ribbon hasentirely passed by the printing point and needs reversing, after whichthe paper may be returned to the place where the impressions ceased andthe writing re-commenced. Moreover, if the interposed uninked portion ofthe ribbon be white or of a strongly contrasting color, the operator mayalso readily observe its approach toward the printing point and thus bevisually informed of the necessity for changing the direction of tionwith ink of another kind or color, and

between said portions left blank or provided with an uninked portion;substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York,this 30th day of June, A. D. 1894.

ALEXANDER T. BROWN.

Witnesses:

H. BARRY, M. 0. SMITH.

